Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou says jokes that prompted a walkout at Sunday’s Scottish Football Writers’ Association awards dinner were “not appropriate”.
But the Australian, who received the manager of the year award, thinks it should be “a teaching moment” for the organisers and Scottish football.
The SFWA has apologised after some guests described jokes by a speaker as “sexist, racist and homophobic”.
“The content was probably not appropriate,” Postecoglou said.
“To be honest, I don’t even know if it’s appropriate at anything. You can turn it into a controversy, but I just don’t think people learn anything from that – make it a teaching moment to be better for the people who have responsibility of organising those nights.”
TV presenter Eilidh Barbour was among guests who left the event in protest following a speech by Bill Copeland, a lawyer who works on the after-dinner speaking circuit.
She tweeted that she had “never felt so unwelcome in the industry”, while the speech was also criticised by Kick it Out, a campaign against racism in football, and Scottish Women’s Football chief executive Aileen Campbell.
“You’ve always got to have empathy and walk in other people’s shoes to see how it affects them,” Postecoglou said. “Once we are all mindful of that, there will be less moments like that when people make mistakes because they have thought about it beforehand.”
Postecoglou, who had earlier been named PFA Scotland manager of the year, received his latest award three days before Celtic have the opportunity to officially secure the Scottish Premiership title away to Dundee United.
“It’s hugely humbling,” he said. “You receive that award on behalf of a group of people who have worked awfully hard to create something special this year.
“Especially as, going into it, there wasn’t a great expectation of success, whether that was because of me and my background or the ground we had to make up. People recognise the challenge we had and how we’ve embraced that challenge.”
A run of 30 league games without defeat has turned a four-point deficit on Rangers into a six-point lead over the reigning champions with two games remaining.
“Thirty games ago, we were a fair way behind in terms of looking like a team that could end up being champions,” Postecoglou added.
“We are under no illusions that we’ve got the opportunity to make it a special night.”
